T

he organizing committee of Solo Batik Fashion IV has banned the presence of printed batik products and textiles bearing batik motifs at the event, to be held at the Bundaran Gladag traffic circle in Surakarta, Central Java, July 13-15.

Chairman of the organizing committee, Djongko Rahardjo, said that the annual event was designed to provide a medium for designers of hand-made and stamped batik products.

“Only batik products produced according to the correct batik making process are allowed to join the event,” Djongko said on Wednesday. He said the measure was taken as a way of respecting the cultural legacy, while at the same time educating people that batik is not the same as textile products bearing batik motifs or printed batik products.

“Batik is not just a motif. It’s a series of processes that is called batik making,” said Djongko, who is also chairman of the Surakarta Fashion Designers Association.

The community, according to Djongko, has been used to seeing batik in the same light as textiles bearing batik motifs. This, he said, needed to be overcome by educating people.

First held in 2009, the annual event has been joined by designers from Surakarta (Solo), and the surrounding regions.

Participating designers are welcome to present their designs, be they batiks from Surakarta, Yogyakarta, Cirebon or even Papua styles, as long as they are made according to the correct process of making batik.

The event is held outdoors, and the public is welcome to enjoy the show for free. “This is held for the public,” he said.

Participating designers from Surakarta include Rory Wardhana, Agus Bridal, Owen Joe, Djongko Rahardjo and Bilqis. Designers from other locations include Rendy Hapsanto and Ferry Setiawan from Semarang,; Ramadhani and Sugeng Waskita from Yogyakarta; and Jaka Santosa from Klaten.

“Each of the designers will present eight of their designs,” chairperson of the committee’s technical managing team, Nell Kalini, said.

Separately, head of the Surakarta Tourism and Culture Agency, Widdy Srihanto, said the event further confirmed the position of the city as the capital of batik.

“Having icons of Solo selected to be the venues of such an event will further raise the profile of Surakarta as festive city,” said Widdy, referring to the many events held in the city.